tuning pin torque

[David Chadwick]

Andrew, 
I understand the affects of humidity changes and temperature control within the piano environment and I will take your advice and re-measure the tuning pin/pinblock situation when the climate change has stabilized. A Edward's Wool cover is an excellent idea and I will propose it to the dealer who is storing the piano. 

Why would any manufacturer have established dealer outlets in areas that conditions negate warranty issues? You make it sound like everyone in the Mohave area has piano's coming apart and rendering them useless. To our benefit here everyone keeps their indoor temps constant within 5 to 7 degrees year around. I agree a DC unit would protect the moisture content within the wood components but as soon as the piano is scheduled to perform it has to be removed for it's protected environmental control and into the fire causing myself and the other tech's big stability headaches prior to the concert and usually there is not enough time allowed for the piano to acclimate because performance venues here don't have the dark time or room enough to place the instrument. 

I originally learned piano technology and had a business in Maine where drastic changes in humidity from sometimes 70 to 80 percent in the summer and then homes get sealed up in the winter and dried to a brittle 3 to 5 percent with wood and coal heating would be a constant unstable situation. Those conditions I noticed had more of a devastating affect and constantly stressing the wood, glue and fasteners holding everything together. Plenty of job security there but the pianos lifespan is dramatically shortened. 

In Las Vegas I recommend a DC system to everyone and moreover to those with older instrument coming form other parts of the country where the environment was wetter. The new pianos that are delivered here have done well to survive and the manufactures are accommodating enough to provide well built instruments to survive this somewhat environment. The Chinese pianos do not fare well, however, the Pearl River instruments are doing much better than the previous years. 

Thanks for your advice! 
David C. 
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Andrew and Rebeca Anderson 
  To: Pianotech List 
  Sent: Sunday, July 23, 2006 8:40 AM
  Subject: Re: Re: tuning pin torque


  David,
  RH greatly affects tuning pin torque.  50-60 % may read OK while 8% will read inadequate.  You may have to re-measure again in the dry season.  That is way to wide a swing.  This piano needs a cover and a DC Piano-Life-Saver-System under it.  That swing will destroy pinblocks, soundboard, bridges (bridge-pinning) etc.  There are daily (temperature related) swings that also affect the tuning.  The DC system will control those and allow the piano to be in a concert-quality tuning for more of the time.  If they won't keep a cover on it, get them to use an Edwards string-cover.  The wool will (on its own) help to contain humidity swings and with the DC system protect the entire piano, extending the conditioned environment into the action cavity.  Without this added protection you are facing an impossibility.  I suspect the numbers you have provided will negate any warranty.

  Good luck,
  Andrew Anderson
    
  At 10:03 AM 7/23/2006, you wrote:

    Patrick,
    Oh yes, I also plan on a fine tune procedure after I take all of the torque measurements I fell necessary. I agree with you in that the tuning process helps us become more intimate with the condition and idiosyncrasies of all the components involved. Then, perhaps, I can express any thought's I might have as to the pin tightness problem to the builder.

    I don't have a digital type of instrument to measure humidity. We usually have stable levels around 8 to 18 percent RH. Currently we're in a monsoon weather pattern and levels are 50 to 60 percent. It won't last long.

    I did send the pic's to files at ptg.org so hopefully they will be published.

    Thanks
    David Chadwick



    ----- Original Message ----- From: "J Patrick Draine" <jpdraine at gmail.com>
    To: "Pianotech List" <pianotech at ptg.org>
    Sent: Sunday, July 23, 2006 7:12 AM
    Subject: Re: Re: tuning pin torque



      On 7/23/06, David Chadwick <chadwick61 at cox.net> wrote:


        I have not done
        any previous tuning on the piano.

      Aside from the thorough measurement of pin torque that you're planning
      on doing, I do hope you will be tuning the instrument as well. While
      hard numbers are difficult to argue with, there's a great deal that
      you can learn about the piano as you tune, even if the words one uses
      to describe it may be compartatively subjective.
      And yes, we're eager for the photos! If they're big send them to files at ptg.org.
      Also, I think in the interest of fairness (or thoroughness) I think it
      is important to measure the RH accurately, probably with a sling
      psychlometer (sp?). And a good idea of what extremes the piano may go
      through daily (searing stage lights, constant or intermittent intense
      blasts of frigid AC, etc.).
      Good luck and happy investigations,
      Patrick Draine




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